作为与LAMBOFGOD（上帝的羔羊）、KillswitchEngage（杀戮引擎）、Chimaira（奇美拉）齐名的美国重金属新浪潮领军乐团，SHADOWSFALL（阴影降落）的名字与作品乐迷们早已耳熟能详。成军于1996年，将传统Thrash音乐与Hardcore元素相互融合，音乐不仅刚柔并济，更是将来自于80年代的重金属/流行金属素材加以运用，可谓个性十足。随着2000-2002年金属核趋势的不断上升，SHADOWSFALL凭借着《OfOneBlood》（《同一血脉的》）与《TheArtofBalance》（《平衡的艺术》）两张作品的成功以及自身不断的努力，逐渐成为这股潮流当中最具影响的代表乐团之一。2004年，当乐队将专辑《WarWithin》（《战争本质》）公诸于世，再次引来了整个儿金属乐坛的连环爆炸。唱片销量超过30万，多支热门单曲在欧美各大主流电台与电视音乐频道循环播放，大规模的不间断全球巡演，以及担任众多著名音乐节的头牌嘉宾。SHADOWSFALL的人气不断飙升，并在全球范围内逐渐拥有固定的歌迷群体，这一切都为乐队之后的发展奠定了良好的基础。2006年，乐队再度于CenturyMedia公司旗下发行专辑《FalloutfromtheWar》（《来自战争的放射》）之后，转签至RoadrunnerRecords公司，并于2007年发行专辑《Threadsoflife》（《生命的思路》）。主打单曲“Redemption”（“赎回”）被提名当年格莱美奖，乐队以他们凶悍且不失优美、狂暴亦动人的独特风格成功被主流音乐界所肯定。在大厂牌Atlantic旗下发行EP《Forevermore》（《永恒》）（2008）之后，乐队于2009年通过自有厂牌EverblackIndustries发行最新专辑《Retribution》（《复仇》）。尽管乐队主唱BrianFair本人表示，Hardcore是乐队作品一贯的影响源，但不得不承认，在这张新作品中，乐队已经削弱了Breakdown节奏的出现频率，更多的是来自于纯粹Thrash的影响在支撑着作品的整体构架。《Retribution》并不是一张寻求创新的唱片，一种更接近于传统的风格被表现得格外突出。但从另一种角度来看，在这种缺乏花哨与卖弄的特点下，你会发现SHADOWSFALL音乐中的那种浓浓的诚恳与真挚之情；而同样，这种固守着自我的姿态则显示出乐队经历14年音乐历程洗炼后的稳重与成熟。by Steve HueyAlthough their music sometimes bears strong similarities to the technical, progressive brand of death metal centered around Gothenburg, Sweden, and epitomized by bands like In Flames, Shadows Fall actually hails from Massachusetts. Guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matthew Bachand formed the band in 1996, and by the summer of the following year the lineup had solidified with vocalist Phil Lebonte, bassist Paul Romanko, and drummer David Germain. Building their songs around the stop-start tempo and riff changes pioneered by bands like Metallica, Slayer, and Iron Maiden, the band toured New England and eventually snagged opening slots for acts like Fear Factory and Cannibal Corpse. Toward the end of 1997, they recorded a self-financed, self-released album titled Somber Eyes to the Sky, which eventually charted in CMJ's Loud Rock Top Ten and was picked up for overseas distribution. In 1998, Shadows Fall replaced Lebonte with former Overcast vocalist Brian Fair, a more versatile singer capable of handling melody as well as pure aggression. After further touring, the band scored a deal with Century Media in 1999; their first widely distributed domestic album, Of One Blood, was issued in early 2000. Soon after, Germain left the band and was replaced by drummer Jason Bittner. After releasing The Art of Balance in 2002 the band spent the summer of 2003 on the Ozzfest tour, earning a larger fan base thanks to their intense live show. In turn, their 2004 album The War Within debuted at number 20 on the Billboard Top 200 charts. A collection of tracks left off the album appeared in 2006 as Fallout from the War. It was followed by Threads of Life in 2007.